Why do I need a website?
Discussion
Did a little experiment recently using just a blog and a few social media sites.
Within 4 weeks was on first page of google, without having to do any SEO work or adwords etc etc.
This got me thinking that whilst the world seems obsessed with needing a "website", don't most businesses (obviously e-trade do) now just need a "web presence"?
Discuss
Within 4 weeks was on first page of google, without having to do any SEO work or adwords etc etc.
This got me thinking that whilst the world seems obsessed with needing a "website", don't most businesses (obviously e-trade do) now just need a "web presence"?
Discuss
blot said:
Within 4 weeks was on first page of google, without having to do any SEO work or adwords etc etc.
What exactly was on the first page of Google?Your name, when you searched for it? Your company name?
Or a link to your name when you Googled the type of business you're in?
I'm pretty sure that the link you feel you've created isn't that sophisticated.
And then what? Does the blog carry full details of what your company is about, client history/references, full contact details etc?
Surprised you can be pretty sure without knowing?
Edited to remove the link.
Are we are at the point where the world starts to move on?
With 100's of SEO companies offering to put their client's on the 1st page?
But the question was, do you need a website or a web presence now?
Edited to remove the link.
Are we are at the point where the world starts to move on?
With 100's of SEO companies offering to put their client's on the 1st page?
But the question was, do you need a website or a web presence now?
Edited by blot on Sunday 1st March 20:26
Edited by blot on Wednesday 4th March 08:48
So what exactly is hilarious? Lots of small/medium businesses seem to think they must have a website.
Whole point was trying to get a discussion on whether you really need a website, obviously you think they have to.
Had already pointed out that e commerce sites do.
Great debate. thanks
Whole point was trying to get a discussion on whether you really need a website, obviously you think they have to.
Had already pointed out that e commerce sites do.
Great debate. thanks
blot said:
So what exactly is hilarious? Lots of small/medium businesses seem to think they must have a website.
Sorry, thought it was obvious:blot said:
Within 4 weeks was on first page of google, without having to do any SEO work or adwords etc etc.
And yes, I would suggest that every business has a website - whether for online sales or simply online presence.Edited by sa_20v on Sunday 1st March 20:56
blot said:
Surprised you can be pretty sure without knowing?
Edited to add it's funzi and bodo trust's blog, a search for funzi and bodo brings up the blog at number 5.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?source=ig&hl=en...
Now it may not be the most obvious search term, but there are numerous commercial holiday/safari specialist sites which should come up above the blog with that search term.
The irony is that I clicked on your profile to visit your website and it won't connect! (timed out)
Are we are at the point where the world starts to move on?
With 100's of SEO companies offering to put their client's on the 1st page?
But the question was, do you need a website or a web presence now?
You haven't achieved anything apart from getting Google to notice an incredibly unusual pair of words on one of the largest blog hosts in the world. So people have to know about you already.Edited to add it's funzi and bodo trust's blog, a search for funzi and bodo brings up the blog at number 5.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?source=ig&hl=en...
Now it may not be the most obvious search term, but there are numerous commercial holiday/safari specialist sites which should come up above the blog with that search term.
The irony is that I clicked on your profile to visit your website and it won't connect! (timed out)
Are we are at the point where the world starts to move on?
With 100's of SEO companies offering to put their client's on the 1st page?
But the question was, do you need a website or a web presence now?
Edited by blot on Sunday 1st March 20:26
Try 'rebuild school Kenya' in Google and you come..... nowhere.
No irony on my site unfortunately. None of my sites are appearing at the moment, so I can only assume that my host, one of the largest in the world, is having 'difficulties'. I'm realistic enough to realise that s
t happens though.Why can they not combine a number of the free web2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, forums instead?
for example, http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com/ is simply one page with a free phpbb attached.
for example, http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com/ is simply one page with a free phpbb attached.
blot said:
Why can they not combine a number of the free web2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, forums instead?
for example, http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com/ is simply one page with a free phpbb attached.
What exactly is your point?for example, http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com/ is simply one page with a free phpbb attached.
V8mate said:
You haven't achieved anything apart from getting Google to notice an incredibly unusual pair of words on one of the largest blog hosts in the world. So people have to know about you already.
Try 'rebuild school Kenya' in Google and you come..... nowhere.
No irony on my site unfortunately. None of my sites are appearing at the moment, so I can only assume that my host, one of the largest in the world, is having 'difficulties'. I'm realistic enough to realise that st happens though.
The point I'm trying to make and get some debate going, was loads of companies spend money on their sites and on SEO, only 1 out of 1000's of sites wanting to be top for "loan" can be there. With the huge rise in blogs/fb/twitter etc, does a company really need a site or a 'web presence'Try 'rebuild school Kenya' in Google and you come..... nowhere.
No irony on my site unfortunately. None of my sites are appearing at the moment, so I can only assume that my host, one of the largest in the world, is having 'difficulties'. I'm realistic enough to realise that s
t happens though.Maybe PH is not the place to try to look forwards to what happens next then.
sa_20v said:
blot said:
Why can they not combine a number of the free web2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, forums instead?
for example, http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com/ is simply one page with a free phpbb attached.
What exactly is your point?for example, http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com/ is simply one page with a free phpbb attached.
Would you class http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com as a website?
blot said:
sa_20v said:
blot said:
Why can they not combine a number of the free web2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, forums instead?
for example, http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com/ is simply one page with a free phpbb attached.
What exactly is your point?for example, http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com/ is simply one page with a free phpbb attached.
Would you class http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com as a website?
I can't imagine any company who would benefit by not having a website - whether selling their products, listing products or just detailing their existance. As for whether we should be spending small fortunes on SEO/SEM - if you're not on the mainpage of search engines for keywords relevant to your business you're nowhere. IIRC, only 19% or so actually view listings beyond the first page.
sa_20v said:
It's not a company, it's a non-commercial entity that can only operate on the net - and of course it's a website!
I can't imagine any company who would benefit by not having a website - whether selling their products, listing products or just detailing their existance. As for whether we should be spending small fortunes on SEO/SEM - if you're not on the mainpage of search engines for keywords relevant to your business you're nowhere. IIRC, only 19% or so actually view listings beyond the first page.
Interesting response, is http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com really a 'website'? I can't imagine any company who would benefit by not having a website - whether selling their products, listing products or just detailing their existance. As for whether we should be spending small fortunes on SEO/SEM - if you're not on the mainpage of search engines for keywords relevant to your business you're nowhere. IIRC, only 19% or so actually view listings beyond the first page.
Compare it with the features of (edited to remove the link) easy enough to add a url to point at it to make it look like a site
To 'joe public' which of those is a website? both? one?
The figures about mainpage surely just go to underline why small/medium companies in mass markets should start to consider smarter ways to market their web presence doesn't it?
Edited by blot on Wednesday 4th March 08:49
blot said:
Interesting response, is http://www.earlyentrepreneur.com really a 'website'?
Compare it with the features of http://funzibodo.blogspot.com easy enough to add a url to point at it to make it look like a site
To 'joe public' which of those is a website? both? one?
The figures about mainpage surely just go to underline why small/medium companies in mass markets should start to consider smarter ways to market their web presence doesn't it?
Apologies, but I suspect I'm feeding a troll here who perhaps wants to further SEO his blog by discussing his website on a popular forum with good PR. Yes, both are websites - it so happens yours is on a third party system, without domain name, and is more akin to a blog. But yes, both are websites:Compare it with the features of http://funzibodo.blogspot.com easy enough to add a url to point at it to make it look like a site
To 'joe public' which of those is a website? both? one?
The figures about mainpage surely just go to underline why small/medium companies in mass markets should start to consider smarter ways to market their web presence doesn't it?
dictionary.com said:
Web site
–noun
Computers. a connected group of pages on the World Wide Web regarded as a single entity, usually maintained by one person or organization and devoted to a single topic or several closely related topics.
–noun
Computers. a connected group of pages on the World Wide Web regarded as a single entity, usually maintained by one person or organization and devoted to a single topic or several closely related topics.
blot said:
The figures about mainpage surely just go to underline why small/medium companies in mass markets should start to consider smarter ways to market their web presence doesn't it?
The web is a wonderful leveller, where small/medium sized businesses can compete easily with larger corporations - if you actually knew anything about SEO/SEM you'd know this - but hey, you've only got your third-party hosted blog onto Google...blot said:
not a troll
Wanting a debate as outlined in first post
Read your 1st response to me and then reflect on how YOU come across.
Rather well IMHO - read your posts, you seldom make any sense and seem intent on promoting your own site. Asking a question such as 'why do I need a website' is bloody ridiculous - in what other form are you going to ensure your content reaches the right audience?Wanting a debate as outlined in first post
Read your 1st response to me and then reflect on how YOU come across.
Web presence
not website
Thats the debate i'm trying to get. Ask yourself why Obama used twitter,Branson has started using twitter? Smarter marketing. Smarter use of web presence. An active blog is 100 times better than an inactive bland site and yes, you can add a url so it looks like its a site.
I'm not debating who knows what as you seem to want to.
I write content on national sites that are No 1 on google and always are, whooppee, couldn't give a toss about it. That is not the debate I thought I could have here and wanted, it was about moving on, being smarter.
Ho hum
Arggh!
not website
Thats the debate i'm trying to get. Ask yourself why Obama used twitter,Branson has started using twitter? Smarter marketing. Smarter use of web presence. An active blog is 100 times better than an inactive bland site and yes, you can add a url so it looks like its a site.
I'm not debating who knows what as you seem to want to.
I write content on national sites that are No 1 on google and always are, whooppee, couldn't give a toss about it. That is not the debate I thought I could have here and wanted, it was about moving on, being smarter.
Ho hum
Arggh!
Things like Twitter only work if you're already well known enough for a sufficiently large group of people to WANT to 'follow you' ANYWAY.
So it works for Obama and Branson and Stephen Fry and Chris Moyles.
Unfortunately, no-one gives a st whether I live or die, but that doesn't stop me having to go out and find work each day. If I paid people to listen to my twitterings they'd give the money back (twice over probably) because they actually want to get on with some work. (Something the nerds who invent these things fail to realise)
My website is just a showcase. It will never generate me any business but may be useful to people who have heard of me or had me referred to them. That information could, of course, be hosted anywhere, but I and, I believe, the surfing 'business-public' will have a little more faith in the fact that I own my own web home rather than just lodge on someone else's. Sitting commercial content on a blog is no better than the 'mom and pop' sites which used to exist on homestead and angelfire.
So it works for Obama and Branson and Stephen Fry and Chris Moyles.
Unfortunately, no-one gives a s
t whether I live or die, but that doesn't stop me having to go out and find work each day. If I paid people to listen to my twitterings they'd give the money back (twice over probably) because they actually want to get on with some work. (Something the nerds who invent these things fail to realise)My website is just a showcase. It will never generate me any business but may be useful to people who have heard of me or had me referred to them. That information could, of course, be hosted anywhere, but I and, I believe, the surfing 'business-public' will have a little more faith in the fact that I own my own web home rather than just lodge on someone else's. Sitting commercial content on a blog is no better than the 'mom and pop' sites which used to exist on homestead and angelfire.
blot said:
Ask yourself why Obama used twitter,Branson has started using twitter?
That's a bit clearer, your original post was misleading in that it effectively asked whether 'businesses now just require a web-presence'. The examples you give above aren't companies. Such sources don't work terribly well commercially, however they can supplement brands to good effect. I can't see companies ditching websites in favour of Twitter et al - can you imagine searching for a qualified electrician in your area, are you going to use the guy with a website or the guy with a page on MySpace?Edited by sa_20v on Sunday 1st March 22:27
Right, finally getting to a discussion, shame it took so long and personal crap, but hey thats pistonheads for you
How would the vast majority of the general public or business community know if a site I used to blog on was owned or not if I attached a url to it? Mashable anyone? O'Reilly?
if I stick www.plumbers.com to a blog site, would Joe Public or most business people realise it was open source and hosted by someone else?
Will Google rule forever? Doubt it
Web2.0 is growing. Web3.0 is already here in small doses
How would the vast majority of the general public or business community know if a site I used to blog on was owned or not if I attached a url to it? Mashable anyone? O'Reilly?
if I stick www.plumbers.com to a blog site, would Joe Public or most business people realise it was open source and hosted by someone else?
Will Google rule forever? Doubt it
Web2.0 is growing. Web3.0 is already here in small doses
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